Riding motorcycles with your mates is the very essence of any bike club, it’s all good clean fun, so long as you don’t mix up the biking and comradeship with a spot of organised crime, then the club becomes a gang, the members’ outlaws and things get really heavy.
All the MC’s (Motorcycle Clubs) on the list were founded in the USA and although it’s acknowledged there are clubs all over the world, the true heart of the one-percenter* is very much ensconced in the American psyche.
There are thought to be over three hundred outlaw clubs operating in the US, here’s what could be considered the top of the pile - almost all riding the the one bike of choice, Harley Davidson.
Sons of Silence
Founded in 1966 in Colorado, they may be relatively small but what they lack in size they make up for in reputation. In addition to drug/gun operations in the Midwest and South they’ve a noticeable presence in Germany. Secretive and efficient, these guys mean business.
Vagos
1965, California, also known as the Green Nation on account of their colours. A big club with around 47 Chapters in the US and, much more recently, Australia and Sweden; they’re a natural enemy of the Hells Angles who, in the mid 60’s, were becoming established in a similar locale with comparable business interests.
Mongols
1969, California. Not quite as big as the Vagos but steadily growing. Like many of the clubs here they’re making a name for themselves in Australia which has piqued the attention of the locals, The Comanchero and The Rebels MC, themselves rapidly expanding clubs with chapters popping up across the globe. Despite alleged links to drugs, extortion and robbery the MC claim to have excluded drug addicts and criminals from the organisation as per a new code of conduct.
Pagans
1959, Maryland, this once Triumph-riding band of brothers were a legit bike club but by the early 1970’s they’d pitched themselves against the HA and began running guns. On the surface they’re relatively small in number but they’ve some very powerful friends, the Italian mafia and Aryan brotherhood among a few which is why they’re classed as one of the ‘Big 4’ by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
Bandidos
1966, Texas, one of the largest here, 2,500 plus members and operational in over 22 countries and counting. Over the past few years they’ve built up a fearsome reputation with much of the worst, turf, violence occurring in Canada, Scandinavia, Germany, Holland and Australia (with Rebels MC). A recent conflagration in Waco, Texas in May of this year with an assortment of rival clubs resulting in a gun battle and the deaths of nine people suggests that they’re alive and kicking at home too. Their motif ‘we are the people our parents warned us about’ isn’t ironic.
Outlaws/AOA
Founded way back in 1935 in Illinois this is the oldest outfit on here, their contempt of the HA is part of the modern Outlaw motto - ADIOS: Angels Die In Outlaw States - and after moving into France in 1993 became the only other club on here with a proper presence in the UK, which has resulted in at least one gang-related death. Notwithstanding various convictions for murder, theft, racketeering, drugs etc., the club maintain that they’re not a criminal organisation and learning from past indiscretions as they increase in size.
Hells Angels
Founded 1948, California the HA gained notoriety via their close association with what could be broadly described as the hippie movement of 1960’s where they rubbed shoulders with the counterculture pioneers of the day - Allen Ginsberg, Hunter S. Thompson not to mention The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. This has set the HA apart from the other one-percenter* bike clubs, despite the alleged links to organised crime and all that it entails, they’re an established part of American culture.
On the face of it they’re a slick organisation and ferociously protective of their reputation, at best (note ‘best’) they’ll take legal action to businesses that take liberties with their brand - Disney and Alexander McQueen to name but two- but don’t be in any doubt, they’re very much the real deal in one percenter terms. With over 100 chapters spread over 29 countries the Hell Angels remain the largest, best-known, bike club in the world.
* The term ‘one percenter’ derives from a comment by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) that ‘99% of motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens’
Read more:
Hells Angels vs Outcasts: The UK biker gang wars
FAQs
Don't Wear 1%er or Outlaw Patches
(Such clubs are sometimes referred to as “one-percenters.”) Wearing a 1%er or outlaw patch identifies you as a member of such a club. If you're not a member, sporting such patches can be extremely dangerous for a number of reasons.
Who was the most feared Hells Angel? ›
| Sonny Barger |
|---|
| Barger in 1967 |
| Born | Ralph Hubert Barger, Jr.October 8, 1938 Modesto, California, U.S. |
| Died | June 29, 2022 (aged 83) Livermore, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Sacramento Valley National Cemetery |
10 more rowsDon't Wear 1%er or Outlaw Patches
(Such clubs are sometimes referred to as “one-percenters.”) Wearing a 1%er or outlaw patch identifies you as a member of such a club. If you're not a member, sporting such patches can be extremely dangerous for a number of reasons.
What does 81 mean in the biker world? ›
81 is a metonym. It stands for the 8th letter of the alphabet which is an H, and the 1st letter of the alphabet which is an A, HA = Hells Angels. Red & White is another metonym; Red & White are the colors of the club. Red letters on a white background.
Who is bigger Hells Angels or Bandidos? ›
Formed in San Leon, Texas, in 1966, the Bandidos MC is estimated to have between 2,000 and 2,500 members and 303 chapters located in 22 countries, making it the second-largest motorcycle club in the world behind the Hells Angels.
Are Hells Angels white only? ›
The club is not officially a racially segregated organization. In the U.S., at least one charter allegedly requires that a candidate be a white male, and Sonny Barger said in a 2000 BBC interview, "The club, as a whole, is not racist but we probably have enough racist members that no black guy is going to get in it."
What state has the most Hells Angels? ›
California. With over 300 members statewide, the Hells Angels are the most significant motorcycle gang in California in terms of membership and criminal activity.
What does a 2% patch mean? ›
The 2% is also a motorcycle club. The members of 2%er have severed ties with the 1%ers and have a distinct diamond-shaped motorcycle patch with 2% embroidered over it. Though 2%ers are extremely few in number, it is best to not show an affiliation with the gang.
What does a safety pin mean on a bikers vest? ›
Safety Pin (Pass Pin)
A safety pin or "pass pin" is sometimes worn on the vests of MC clubs riding through another club's territory. It shows that they are not there to start anything and are just passing through. It is considered a sign of respect.
What does 13 mean to a biker? ›
The letter M, being the 13th letter of the alphabet, often is said to stand for marijuana or motorcycle. Generally, it is assumed someone wearing a 13 patch is either a user of marijuana or other drugs, or is involved with the sale of them. The M also has been known to stand for "methamphetamine".
While 7 doesn't have any unique meaning in biker culture (though, some Christian biker clubs have patches and ornaments featuring 777 as a symbol of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), many of the bikers are gamblers. This means that they don't mind having luck on their side.
What is a 0% motorcycle club? ›
One of the first integrated biker clubs in Chicago, the club was founded by Frank "Claim-Jumper" Rios after he was denied membership in another motorcycle club. The club's motto is, "Death is my sidekick and the highway is my home." A "0%" diamond is worn in place of the traditional "1%" to signify being 0% nice.
What does 22 mean for bikers? ›
22 = A member who has done prison time. Bible = Harley Davidson motorcycle manual..used for weddings. Back Pack = Full colors tattooed on a member's back. D.F.F.L. = Dope forever forever loaded. Hog = A Harley Davidson Motorcycle.
Who is bigger Outlaws or Hells Angels? ›
In 1964, the Outlaws merged with the Cult biker club from Voorheesville, New York, the Gypsy Outlaws of Milwaukee, and the Gypsy Raiders in Louisville, Kentucky, becoming the largest "one percenter" club east of the Mississipi River and the second-largest in the United States after the California-based Hells Angels.
What does PBOL mean? ›
On the Bandidos there's a BFFB, "Bandidos Forever, Forever Bandidos." The women, they wear PBOL, "Proud Bandido Old Lady." I had a brother named Lee, he always told me it was "Personal Broad Of Lee's."
What is the toughest Hells Angels chapter? ›
But one biker was set out to change that and transformed the Hells Angels forever. Walter Stadnick, 70, established its most brutal, exclusive chapter, the Nomads, which became the “toughest, meanest, most powerful” group around.
What are the Hells Angels worst crimes? ›
Numerous police and international intelligence agencies classify the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club as a motorcycle gang and contend that members carry out widespread violent crimes, including drug dealing, trafficking in stolen goods, gunrunning, extortion, and prostitution rings.
Who are the Hells Angels known enemies? ›
- Breed MC are a known enemy of the Hells Angels in the North East area of the USA. ...
- Gremium MC are an enemy of the club. ...
- Iron Order MC are enemies.
- Mongols MC are enemies.
- Notorious MC are enemies.
- Outlaws MC are a well known enemy of the Hells Angels.
